Australia: Macklemore Rocks The NRL Finals With Pro-LGBT Anthem "Same Love"

Macklemore performs at 2017 NRL grand final

Macklemore performed his pro-LGBT mega-hit "Same Love" at the National Rugby League grand final this weekend.

With Mary Lambert on vocals, Macklemore lifted the place up. It's heartening to see the vast majority of comments on Twitter are positive.

Macklemore's message comes at a timely moment for the folks down under. Australia is currently in the middle of a "vote by mail" survey on support for marriage equality. Polls show overwhelming support but we've learned to not take anything for granted.

Results of the survey will be released in November.

Released in 2012, "Same Love" returned to the top of iTunes Australia charts thanks to the announcement of Macklemore's pre-game show. The hip-hop artist has pledged the recent profits will go to pro-marriage equality campaigns in Oz.

Watch the performance below.

Same Love - @macklemore feat. @marylambertsing#NRLGF#NRL pic.twitter.com/TAhaZFjKZk

— NRL (@NRL) October 1, 2017

Performing Same Love at the #NRLGF was one of the greatest honors of my career. Thank you @NRL for the opportunity & supporting equality

— GEMINI (@macklemore) October 1, 2017

By the way, the Melbourne Storm beat the NQ Cowboys 34-6.

Since we're talking Australian rugby, we've got to see some rugby players, right?

#NRLGF#NRL pic.twitter.com/JJOKppOs2E

— NRL (@NRL) October 1, 2017

https://t.co/KVXhz2S1jk 's @nthqldcowboys player ratings:https://t.co/Xk6ey2Dh5G …#NRLGF #NRL pic.twitter.com/JLgRzQ9oov

— NRL (@NRL) October 1, 2017

🙌🙌🙌#NRLGF #NRL pic.twitter.com/t7zJxtmNcK

— NRL (@NRL) October 1, 2017

News Round-Up: September 29, 2017

(photo credit: Leo Castro)

Some news items you may have missed:

• Celebrating some Furball Friday with woofy Bruno Tarchetti (above).

• Just about the gayest thing I can think of today: there's going to be a Broadway musical based on the life and songs of Cher. #fabulous

• RuPaul's Drag Race star Willam shocked fans with transphobic comments on live TV show.

• The nation's first and only openly bisexual member of Congress, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, has announced she will seek the Democratic nomination in a bid to replace vulnerable GOP Sen. Jeff Flake in 2018.

• In a new Opinion Savvy poll, virulently anti-LGBT Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore leads his Democratic opponent Doug Jones by only 5 points in deep red state Alabama.

• With Macklemore as the announced entertainment at Australia's National Rugby League grand final, anti-marriage equality folks started screaming when they realized the hip-hop artist would be performing his huge pro-LGBT hit "Same Love." All that angst backfired though as "Same Love," released in 2012, shot to the #1 spot on Australia's iTunes chart again.

A good reason to enjoy the video again. Watch below.

Macklemore pitches for the ACLU

Macklemore makes the case for being a member of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The rap superstar shares that the ACLU card is the only card "that lets my gay friends marry the hell out of each other. If you like being free like me, get the ACLU card today."

Macklemore: "Gay rights are human rights. There is no separation"

(via GLAAD)

Macklemore is one of the Voices United

Top Billboard artist Macklemore, rapper and LGBT ally, speaks out on behalf of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Can't Hold Us has been #1 for four consecutive weeks on the Billboard singles chart. Their previous single, Thrift Shop, was #1 for six weeks (RIAA-certified as quintuple platinum).

They had a huge breakout hit last year, Same Love, that paid respect to same-sex couples. The YouTube video has received over 45 million views since last year. Check it out below.

For more on Americans United for Separation of Church and State, click here.

Macklemore responds to teacher being suspended for allowing student to play "Same Love" in class

A performing arts teacher, Susan Johnson, was suspended from South Lyon's Centennial Middle School in Michigan for allowing a student play Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' pro-equality anthem "Same Love" in class.

Macklemore responded on his website:

I believe that Ms. Johnson getting suspended is completely out of line and unjust. However, I think it’s important for moments like these to be exposed and for us to pay attention and respond. This level of intolerance and fear is still very active in America, but at times is not completely visible. This incident is just one of tens of thousands that have happened across the country where schools have exposed a latent homophobia, preventing safe space for all young people to feel confident in being themselves. It’s clear that Ms. Johnson felt bullying and “gay bashing” were issues that needed to be addressed, and by doing so, was punished.

I wrote the song “Same Love,” not with the expectation that it would cure homophobia and lead to marriage equality across the US (although that’d be awesome). It was written with the hope that it would facilitate dialogue and through those conversations understanding and empathy would emerge. This incident demonstrates how too often we are quick to silence conversations that must be had. Even if people disagree, there is far more potential for progress when people are vocal and honestly expressing their thoughts about gay rights. When we are silent and avoid the issue, fear and hatred have a far greater life span.

It’s discouraging that a song about love and civil rights has led to a teacher getting suspended from her job. But that’s where we are at. For those of us who get a pit in our stomach when reading a story like this, it just makes it abundantly clear there is far more work to be done.

The school is standing by its decision to suspend Johnson.